The Craziness Of The 2004 AFL Draft - St Kilda
17 Andrew McQualter
33 Cain Ackland
49 Mark McGough
63 James Gwilt
72 Pass
77 Pass
From The Age: Who your team picked
While the Saints may be under some pressure at the moment, it was things like this draft in the past that made their present situation precarious. Gwilt at pick 63 is a success, but they don't have much else to be happy about.
It was during these years that the Saints neglected their ruck spot. Ackland was serviceable but undersized, and the Saints could have gone with a bigger prospect like Simon Taylor or Brad Moran. Big ruckmen like Jolly and Ottens were also available for draft picks, if the Saints had traded their picks it might have gotten them a Grand Final appearance.
McGough did have big-game ability, but the Saints never got to any big games while he was around. McQualter has been delisted, redrafted as a rookie and now elevated but that is not what teams want from a top 20 pick.
It would be interesting to know if they drafted the above midfielders to replace Harvey, they probably did, to "address a situation that might happen in a year or two". Over the years the Saints have brought in many players that were expected to be important contributors after Harvey but so far Harvey has outlasted most of them.
The Craziness Of The 2004 AFL Draft - Richmond
33 Cain Ackland
49 Mark McGough
63 James Gwilt
72 Pass
77 Pass
From The Age: Who your team picked
THE CLUB SAYS "We're very comfortable with McQualter. If you bracket McGough with him, we've got a couple of midfielders who are getting a bit older, so they address a situation that might happen in a year or two. Ackland is not just a ruckman, he's quite athletic and can go forward and take a mark. There's a bit of balance (in those picks), and Gwilt you'd call a calculated punt." - John Beveridge, Saints recruiting manager
It was during these years that the Saints neglected their ruck spot. Ackland was serviceable but undersized, and the Saints could have gone with a bigger prospect like Simon Taylor or Brad Moran. Big ruckmen like Jolly and Ottens were also available for draft picks, if the Saints had traded their picks it might have gotten them a Grand Final appearance.
McGough did have big-game ability, but the Saints never got to any big games while he was around. McQualter has been delisted, redrafted as a rookie and now elevated but that is not what teams want from a top 20 pick.
It would be interesting to know if they drafted the above midfielders to replace Harvey, they probably did, to "address a situation that might happen in a year or two". Over the years the Saints have brought in many players that were expected to be important contributors after Harvey but so far Harvey has outlasted most of them.
The Craziness Of The 2004 AFL Draft - Richmond
